Actress Hayden Panettiere, who became a familiar face on television through Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36. Her representative confirmed her death to ABC News. Her family has requested privacy as they deal with the loss. Panettiere’s father, Skip Panettiere, shared a statement remembering his daughter and the impact she had on people around her. He described her as someone who brought happiness to her family as well as to the millions of viewers who followed her career.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”
Skip also asked people to respect the family’s privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.” Further information about the circumstances surrounding Panettiere’s death was not immediately available.
Panettiere began her career as a child and continued working in television and films for many years. She gained major recognition after playing Claire Bennet in Heroes. She later took on the role of Juliette Barnes in Nashville, which earned her two Golden Globe nominations.
Her film work included Remember the Titans, Raising Helen, Ice Princess and Scream 4. She also returned as Kirby Reed in the Scream franchise, with her most recent work including the 2026 psychological thriller Sleepwalker.
Away from her acting career, Panettiere was open about several difficult periods in her life. Her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, released in May, discussed postpartum depression, addiction, recovery, trauma, domestic abuse and loss.
During a 2022 interview with Good Morning America, she spoke about her struggles with alcoholism and postpartum depression.
“I didn’t know where the alcoholism was ending and the postpartum was beginning,” Panetierre said. “And I ran myself pretty ragged.”
She also spoke about how difficult the years following Nashville had been and why she needed to step away from the public eye for some time.
Panettiere was the mother of one daughter, Kaya Klitschko, whom she had in 2014 with her former fiancé, heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Her family had also faced another painful loss when her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 at the age of 28. His family said he died from an enlarged heart and complications involving his aortic valve.
Hayden later spoke honestly about the effect of his death on her.
“I will always be heartbroken about it.”
“I will never be able to get over it,” she said. “No matter how many years go by, I will never get over his loss.”
Panettiere’s death comes just days before her 37th birthday, which would have been on Friday. She is remembered for her work in television and films and for openly discussing the personal challenges she faced throughout her life.